Download CITY OF BANNING COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN

TN/City of Banning
Comprehensive General Plan/Draft EIR
Section II – Regional Environmental Setting
CITY OF BANNING
COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
SECTION II. REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
Introduction
This section of the EIR provides a general introduction to the environmental setting of the
Banning Pass area, of which the City of Banning is at the center. Discussions are based on a
regional perspective to provide a broad and comprehensive understanding of the issues
associated with implementation of the proposed General Plan. Topics discussed include existing
and surrounding land use patterns in Banning and the vicinity, regional climate, topography, soils
and geology, and biological resources. Also addressed are air quality issues, cultural resources,
traffic and circulation, visual resources, and public services and facilities.
The City of Banning conducted an Initial Study in accordance with Section 15063, 15064, and
15065 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (see Appendix A).
Issues identified as potentially significant in the Initial Study are analyzed in detail in Section III
of this document. A Notice of Preparation (NOP) for this EIR was transmitted on January 7,
2005 and comments received are included in Appendix A of this document.
The General Plan study area encompasses a total of approximately 23.2± square miles of
incorporated City lands, including about 8.5± square miles of Sphere-of-Influence lands, and
about 5.2± square miles outside the SOI and the City but within the General Plan study area.
A.
Existing Land Use
Development in the City of Banning is focused primarily on the valley floor along U.S. Interstate
10 due to the dramatic topographic relief of the San Bernardino Mountains to the north and
south, the Banning Bench in the north central portion of the City, and the Banning Water
Canyon, which runs through the northeastern and east-central portions of the City. The current
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land use pattern in the City is characterized by a strong residential component, supported by local
commercial and industrial development, with public and private open spaces interspersed
throughout the City. Commercial and industrial land uses are generally clustered along U.S. I-10
and the Union Pacific Railroad, and near the Banning Municipal Airport.
The General Plan study area consists of a total of 23,555± acres, of which 14,887± acres are in
the City limits. Approximately 8,668 acres are in the City’s Sphere-of-Influence and
unincorporated lands outside the sphere-of-influence referred to as the City’s “planning area.”
Developed commercial lands include a variety of retail commercial establishments within the
Ramsey Street corridor and the Downtown commercial area, as well as freeway-serving
commercial such as fast food and gasoline stations. Developed commercial lands represent 8%
(428± acres) of all developed lands in the General Plan study area. Developed lands designated
as Industrial comprise approximately 10% (511± acres) of the total developed lands in the study
area. These include airport-related uses, traditional industrial, ranging from light industrial to
heavy manufacturing, and one operating sand and gravel facility.
About 22% (5,168± acres) of the General Plan study area is developed. Residential land use
represents about 66 % (3,415± acres) of developed lands, dominated by rural residential singlefamily dwelling units in the City limits and in the balance of the General Plan study area. Of the
City’s total housing stock, about 79% (8,227 units), are attached and detached single-family
homes, and approximately 21% (2,177 units) are multi-family units, including mobile homes.
Public facilities, schools and other major community facilities comprise 5% (242± acres) of all
developed lands in the General Plan study area.
Under the existing General Plan no agricultural lands are specifically identified within the City
limits, however Residential Agriculture (0-0.5 du/acre) and Rural Residential (0-1 du/acre) uses
allow for agricultural and ranching activities. These two uses account for 1,608 acres in the City
and 3,116 acres in the planning area. Also, approximately 1,101 acres are identified in the
planning area as residential Agriculture, which allows for the construction of on dwelling unit
per acres. Each of these agricultural related uses are accounted for in the land use calculations.
Within the planning area, Open Space lands account for about 24% (5,577± acres) of the total
study area; these include lands reserved for: existing and proposed parks and golf courses;
natural resources, such as water and geological hazard; hillside preservation; conservation; and
land reserved for recreation.
Other Land Uses
Under the current General Plan, less than 1% (426± acres) of lands within the study area are
designated “Indian jurisdiction” are currently vacant and undeveloped. These occur outside the
City limits and SOI lands. The existing General Plan designates land uses for which there is
currently no General Plan land use designation as “Miscellaneous”, and these account for less
than 1% (221± acres) of lands in the study area, and occur within the City limits. Neither of these
land use designations are included in the Preferred Alternative.
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B.
Surrounding Land Use
The General Plan study area is bordered on the north by lands that occur within the County of
San Bernardino, and lands within the San Bernardino National Forest. The County of Riverside
and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians reservation border the City of Banning on the east.
County lands consist of primarily of Conservation and Rural Mountainous (10 acre minimum),
with some Agriculture, Rural Desert (10 acre minimum) and Rural Residential (5 acre minimum)
land use designations. Land uses on Morongo tribal lands include commercial development
comprised of a resort hotel and casino complex, commercial and highway-serving retail
development, and residential, mixed use, industrial and public facilities associated with the
reservation. Lands in the northern portion of the Morongo reservation, northeast of the planning
area, are preserved as open space.
The unincorporated Riverside County community of Cabazon occurs southeast of the planning
area. To the south are lands primarily under the jurisdiction of Riverside County, areas subject to
Indian jurisdiction, as well as public lands in the San Jacinto/Santa Rosa Mountains National
Monument. Surrounding land uses under the jurisdiction of the County of Riverside include a
combination of Very Low Density Residential (1 ac minimum), Low Density Residential (0.5 ac
minimum), Rural Mountainous (10 acre minimum) and Agriculture.
Lands to the west are under the jurisdiction of the County of Riverside and the City of
Beaumont. Those lands that occur in Riverside County include Conservation, Very Low Density
Rural Residential (1 acre minimum), Rural Mountainous (10 acre minimum), and a small portion
of Morongo tribal land. Those lands that occur in the City of Beaumont and include a mix of
residential, commercial, industrial and professional office, as well as institutional uses. Lands to
the northwest are under the jurisdiction of Riverside County comprised of the community of
Cherry Valley. Lands further northwest are under the jurisdiction of the County of San
Bernardino.
C.
Topography
The relief of the City of Banning is characterized by dramatic topographical contrasts. The
largest portion of the City occupies the narrow, southeast-trending valley known as the San
Gorgonio Pass, nestled between the San Bernardino Mountains to the north and the San Jacinto
Mountains to the south. As the complex San Andreas fault system slices through San Gorgonio
Pass, it separates the San Bernardino Mountains segment of the Transverse Ranges from the San
Jacinto Mountains segment of the Peninsular Ranges. The Peninsular Ranges extends southward
from the Los Angeles Basin to the tip of Baja California.
The central and northern parts of the City extend into the foothills of the steep San Bernardino
Mountains, with the northernmost portion lying inside the San Bernardino National Forest.
Behind the foothills, the mountains rise abruptly to San Gorgonio Peak, which, with an elevation
of 11,499 feet, is the highest peak in southern California. The San Jacinto mountains, which rise
steeply from the southern margin of the City, has the second highest peak, the San Jacinto Peak,
with an elevation of 10,804 feet.
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The Gorgonio Pass valley, extends westward from the Coachella Valley, rises to its highest
elevation (approximately 2,600 feet) near Beaumont. Farther west, it merges with the Beaumont
Plain and the San Timoteo Badlands. Within the City of Banning, elevations range from 2,080
feet above mean sea level in the eastern part of the Valley to about 5,200 feet in the mountains.
Bounded by steep and rugged escarpments to the north and south, the Valley has the most
spectacular scenery in southern California.
Numerous tributaries, which emerge from the deeply incised, and narrow canyons in the San
Bernardino Mountains, and the San Jacinto Mountains descend onto the valley floor of San
Gorgonio Pass and flow eastward toward the Coachella Valley. The largest of these is the San
Gorgonio River, which flows through Banning Canyon with the largest drainage basin area,
collecting overland flows from several large canyons along its lower reaches before exiting the
City near Interstate (I-10).
Tributaries of the San Gorgonio River, such as Smith Creek (the largest tributary within the
City), Gilman, Big Oaks, Mias, Hathaway, Potrero, drain the western part of the City, while
Montgomery Creek, together with other smaller unnamed creeks, drains the central part. These
channels coalesce along the southern edge of the City, and surface water is conveyed toward the
Coachella Valley. Streams in the Banning area are intermittent streams and are dry most of the
year except during the wet winter months.
D.
Climate
The City of Banning and surrounding areas has a subtropical desert climate. The aridity is
partially caused by the dominance of the Subtropical High (a continental anticyclone that
originates over Arizona) throughout most of the year, and partially caused by the rain shadow
effect created by the San Jacinto Mountains segment of the Peninsular Range which act as a
barrier and isolate the sheltered San Gorgonio valley from the cool, moist marine conditions
from the west. The mountains shield the valley from the western maritime air masses that
originate in the Pacific Ocean, and channel the prevailing westerly winds into the narrow San
Gorgonio Pass.
In low-latitude subtropical desert climate, intense sunlight produces scorching heat on the
parched landscape. Maxim daytime temperatures during the summer can exceed 122 ºF,
although 104 º F are more common, thus the climate has a large temperature range, often
between 27 ºF to 45 ºF, and occasionally higher. In the middle of the day, the relative humidity
is usually between 5% and 25%. At night, the air’s relatively low water vapor content allows for
rapid cooling from night-time radiation from the earth. Minimum temperatures often drop below
77 ºF. Thus, the desert climate has a large daily temperature range. Temperatures in the
surrounding mountains are generally cooler than those on the valley floor with a 5.5 ºF drop in
temperature per 1,000 ft. of elevation gain (the Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate) is 5.5 ºF of
temperature decrease per 1,000 ft. of ascent.1
1
“Essentials of Meteorology,” by Donald Ahrens, August 2004.
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The mean annual rainfull is very low from the desert floor into the foothills with an average of
less than 20" a year. Rainfall on the mountain slopes increases with elevation as a result of
orographic ( mountain-induced) type of precipitation. Average annual precipitation in the local
mountains is more than 25 inches compared with 19 to 20 inches a year in adjacent valley of
Banning. The majority of the rainfall occurs in the winter months brought on by the mid-latitude
cyclones from the Pacific Ocean.
The frontal type of precipitation occurs as warmer air masses collide with cooler air masses
along a front (zone of discontinuity), resulting in the rising of the warmer air over the cooler air
and subsequent cooling, condensation, and precipitation of the ascending air. These types of
winter storms are characterized by heavy, and prolonged downpours over a large area. Theses
frontal storms usually occur between November and April and in the case of southern California
originate usually in the Pacific Ocean. The frontal storms from the Pacific Ocean move eastward
(and inland).
Mountain ranges, such as the San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains, form a rain shadow,
slowing down or stopping the eastward movement of this moisture. When the moist air is
blocked by mountains and it is forced to travel upslope, resulting in cooling, condensation, and
precipitation. Most of this type of precipitation is dropped on the windward sides of San Jacinto
and San Bernardino Mountains as snow. The local thunderstorms that occur in a localized area in
the summer months in the valley are a result of convective lifting, caused by intense heating of
the ground surfaces.
Due to its unique location in San Gorgonio Pass, the straddle of two steep mountains, the City
experiences high wind conditions primarily from April to June. Strong regional winds, such as
the Santa Ana winds, from the Subtropical High Pressure (anticylone) over Arizona, or coastal
air masses from the Pacific Ocean, are funneled through the San Gorgonio Pass, creating strong
winds, which transport large quantities of sand. Wind-blown sand, when channeled through San
Gorgonio Pass into the Coachella Valley, poses an environmental hazardous and may result in
major health problems. Particulates of 10 micron or less in diameter (also known as PM10) can
lodge in the lungs of people with respiratory problems, resulting in serious inflammatory
conditions.
E.
Geology and Soils
Seismicity
A major portion of the City of Banning is located in a narrow, east-trending valley known as the
San Gorgonio Pass that extends westward from the Coachella Valley and joins with the
Beaumont Plain and the San Timoteo Badlands to the west. The City is bounded to the north by
the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Jacinto Mountains to the south. The City of Banning
is in a highly complex geologically region, being located at the boundary between two tectonic
plates, the Pacific Oceanic Plate to the west and the North American Continental Plate to the
east. The two colliding plates slide past one another in a northwesterly direction at a rate of two
and a half inches a year in a relative right-lateral motion, resulting in the formation of the San
Andreas Fault system. Complicating the seismic landscape is that a small "kink" or a "knot" as it
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is often called, occurs in the Banning planning area as a result of a slight bend and a step in the
main fault's surface trace. As with the "Big Bend" a similar kink, but on a large scale, north of
Los Angeles, complex fault patterns, including thrust faulting have developed in this area to
accommodate these changes. Consequently, the Banning planning area is exposed to seismic
risks from multiple types of earthquake producing faults. The highest risks originate from the
San Andreas Fault zone, San Jacinto Fault zone, and the Banning Fault zone, the San Gorgonio
Pass Fault zone, and smaller nearby related faults. Each one of these faults will be discussed in
more detail in Section III, Geology and Soils.
Soils
Geotechnical constraints in the Banning area are also affected by the characteristics of the rocks
and sediments that lie beneath the area. These are primarily comprised of Holocene (deposited
within the last 11,000 years) surficial sediments, active channel deposits, and alluvial fan
deposits.
Valley floor sediments can be classified as either stream-deposited (alluvium) or wind-deposited
(Aeolian) sand. The windblown deposits consist of reworked alluvium which has been picked
up by strong winds and redistributed as silty, fine, and medium-grained sands found in active
stream channels, floodplains and washes throughout the City. Soils deposited on the valley floor
are underlain by consolidated and semi-consolidated sedimentary rock, which are underlain by
bedrock similar to that exposed in the San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains. The bedrock
that comprises these mountains consists of distorted, schist and gneiss (subject to the highest
degree of metamorphism), which in intruded by granitic rocks. A more detail discussion of the
geologic units underlying the planning area is provided in Section III.
F.
Hydrology
The high mountains define the City of Banning to the north and to the south, particularly the San
Jacinto range, which creates a barrier to the prevailing air masses from the Pacific Ocean,
thereby resulting in a rain shadow effect on the sheltered side of the mountains where the City is
situated. Capturing precipitation from strong Pacific frontal storms that pass through from the
Pacific Ocean, the mountains create an arid condition on the leeward side. Thus, the City of
Banning has a subtropical desert climate shaped by topography with very low mean annual
rainfall with an average of less than 20" a year except in the surrounding mountains. Mountain
areas generally receive more precipitation than the adjacent valley. Average annual precipitation
in the local mountains is more than 25 inches whereas in the San Gorgonio Pass valley, only 18
to 19 inches fall annually. Not only does rain vary dramatically from one locale to another within
short distances, it is also extremely variable from year to year as in all southern California.
Based on readings recorded at the Riverside County Flood Control rain gage, which records data
continuously, on the upper part of the Banning Bench (elevation 3,600 ft.), the annual rainfall in
Banning ranged from a low of 4.44 inches to a high of 49.54 inches.
Although the valley floor is generally dry throughout the year, high-intensity rainfall can quickly
saturate the ground creating substantial runoffs. This is primarily due to the composition of
regional soils, the absence of groundcover, and large expanses of paved surfaces. Overland flow,
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which occurs when rainfall intensity exceeds the infiltration capacity of the soil, is especially
prevalent on the hillsides and paved urban areas. Summer storms are often capable of producing
high volumes of rainfall in a short period of time, creating a high risk for flash floods. Winter
storms often produce equal amounts of rain, but over a longer duration, thereby reducing the
hazards associated with flooding.
The Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA) publishes Flood Insurance Rage Maps (FIRM), which
depict varying degrees of potential flood hazards for developed or developing areas of
communities throughout the United States. FIRM maps serve as the basis for determining the
need for federal flood insurance and assist local government in providing for safe land use and
floodplain development. According to FEMA maps for the City of Banning planning area, lands
within the 100-year flood plain (designated Zone A) are in major portions of the San Gorgonio
River, including portions of the upper Smith Creek Drainage.
The Riverside County Flood Control District (RCFCD) is responsible for the management of
regional drainage within and in the vicinity of Banning. It is empowered with broad management
functions, including flood control planning, the construction of drainage improvements for
regional flood control facilities, and watershed and watercourse protection. The City is directly
responsible for the management of local drainage.
RCFCD has published the Banning Master Drainage, which proposes several new structures
including storm drains, open channels, box culverts, and debris basins. Although the City
currently does not have a floodplain management ordinance, upon its completion and adoption,
the Master Drainage Plan, will serve as a guide for future development, and the operation tool for
technical guidelines, and developer requirements regarding flood control improvements. A more
detailed discussion of flood control protection, improvements and issues is provided in Section
III of this document.
G.
Water Resources/Quality
The primary source of domestic water in the San Gorgonio Pass is groundwater extracted from a
large subsurface aquifer, which underlies the City of Banning. The U.S. Geological Survey and
the California Department of Water Resources has determined that the basin is separated into
distinct subbasins, which are further divided into smaller subunits based on geologic and or
hydrologic characteristics.
The San Gorgonio Pass Subbasin is westerly most subbasin of the Coachella Valley Hydrologic
Unit and is the primary groundwater repository for the San Gorgonio Pass and the City of
Banning. It is approximately 15 miles long and encompasses approximately 60 square miles in
the narrow east-west trending valley between San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains. The
subbasin contains an estimated groundwater storage capacity of 2,200,000 acre-feet with an
estimated 1,400,000 acre feet of groundwater in storage. The portion of the subbasin that
underlies the City of Banning is divided into a six subunits: the Banning Canyon Storage Unit,
the Banning Bench Storage Unit, the East and West Banning Storage Units, the Beaumont
Storage Unit and the Cabazon Storage Unit.
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The City of Banning currently relies on groundwater that is recharged by precipitation and runoff
from the adjacent mountains. Hydrographs dating back to 1964 indicate the historic steady
decline in the San Gorgonio Subbasin, with total average demand increasing from 7,376 acre feet
per year (acre-ft/yr) in 1991 to 10,053 acre-ft/yr in 2003. Depletion of groundwater in storage
has continued with the expansion of development of the City of Banning.
The total amount of groundwater in storage within the City of Banning area, including the
Beaumont Storage Unit, is estimated between 1.4 and 2.6 million acre feet. Groundwater
production by the City of Banning is increasing at a rate of approximately 180 acre-ft/yr. The
increase production, combined with the below average rainfall from 1999 through 2003 has led
to declines in the groundwater levels in the Banning subunits. This depletion of groundwater in
the Banning area has led to a condition known as overdraft, in which the demand for
groundwater exceeds the amount of recharge into the groundwater basin over a period of time.
In order to ensure an on-going supply of domestic water, the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency
(SGPWA) is working with the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District and the
California Department of Water Resources Division of Engineering to complete the East Branch
Extension Project of the State Water Project. Phase I of the East Branch Extension has been
completed and may bring up to 8,650 acre-ft/yr to the San Gorgonio Pass Subbasin. Phase II is
planned and would bring an additional 8,650 acre-ft/yr to the subbasin. SGPWA plans to use the
imported water to recharge the Beaumont Storage Unit, via the Noble Creek Spreading Grounds
in Cherry Valley. The City of Banning is entitled to 3,278 acre-ft/yr per phase. In addition, to
reduce consumption of groundwater, the City has considered the use of recycled water for those
customers that could use reclaimed water for irrigation.
Groundwater quality in the City of Banning is considered excellent. However, high bicarbonate
levels are typical of runoff from the San Bernardino Mountains. In general, total dissolved solids
(TDS) concentrations are lowest at the head of Banning Canyon and increase slightly at the base
of the canyon and the valley floor. Another potential impact on area groundwater is
contamination associated with long-term discharge from on-lot septic systems. While much of
the development in the City of Banning is connected to the community sewer system,
development in outlying areas continues to utilize individual septic systems. Scattered residential
sites in the northern parts of the City continue to rely on private septic systems for the disposal of
wastewater. Many of these systems will be abandoned over time, as future development occurs
and infrastructure is expanded. Water resources and water quality are discussed in greater detail
in Section III of this document.
H.
Biological Resources
The San Gorgonio Pass Region is located in the transition zone between the eastern edge of the
inland valleys and the western edge of the Colorado Desert sub-region of the Sonoran Desert.
Over a distance of approximately twenty miles, coastal climatic influences merge with desert
climate to produce profound changes in flora and fauna. The General Plan study area receives
higher rainfall than surrounding valley and desert communities. Summer temperatures are
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typically milder and winter temperatures cooler than those surrounding areas. Topography of the
planning area ranges from the floor of the San Gorgonio Pass to the lower slopes of the San
Bernardino Mountains, the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains, and includes several major
drainages. The General Plan study area supports a number of common species, as well as
sensitive species, which are listed by federal and/or state governments as endangered, threatened,
or species of concern. The various habitat types supported in the General Plan study area are
briefly described below.
Habitats and Communities
Within the Banning General Plan planning area there are seven separate natural communities
represented. The communities support a wide variety of plant and animal species and various
types of habitats.
Riparian Scrub
This habitat is supported by the primary watercourses that flow through the planning area and
consists of small areas of water-dependent plants. It is dominated by willows, mulefat, and a
variety of annuals, and many weedy non-native species are present. Although this habitat
comprises a smaller proportion of vegetation in the planning area, it is valuable for the diversity
of wildlife that it supports. In the planning area, this habitat is found in the channels of the San
Gorgonio River, Smith Creek, and Mias Canyon.
Coastal Sage Scrub
This habitat is the object of substantial conservation efforts in southern California, and there are
several patches of Coastal Sage Scrub within the planning area. The largest areas are found in a
portion of the City’s northwest sphere of influence, as well as along the City’s southern
boundary. This habitat sometimes develops as an early successional stage after wildland fires,
and is subsequently replaced by chaparral over time.
Riversidean Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub
This community is restricted to major washes and dry rivers and provides habitat for several
unique plants and animals. Unique species include Federal listed species such as the San
Bernardino kangaroo rat, slender horned spineflower and Santa Ana woolly-star, for which the
City is out of range. However, since alluvial fan sage scrub is found along a two-mile stretch of
the San Gorgonio River north of the main urban are, there is a relatively high potential for
detection of rare plant species in this area.
Chaparral
This is a common, fire-dependent community found at mid-elevations on hillsides throughout
California. Chaparral is composed of stiff shrubs with woody debris, including chamise,
manzanita, black sage and wild lilac. In the planning area it occurs in the San Gorgonio River
watershed, and surrounding Mias Canyon in the eastern sphere of influence.
Grassland
This habitat comprises most undeveloped lands in the planning area that are not in use for
agriculture. It is found in the southern and western portions of the planning area, composed of
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weedy species such as red brome, wild oats and ripgut grass. No native grasses were detected in
the planning area. Non-native grassland, although it has relatively low floristic diversity,
provides habitat for wildlife favoring low vegetative cover, such as burrowing owls, foraging
raptors, and some amphibians and songbirds.
Meadows and Marshes
This plant community was not found to be present during field surveys, although mapping
conducted for the Western Riverside County MSHCP indicates a plant community designated as
“meadows and marshes” in the uppermost reaches of Banning Canyon. This wetland community
may have existed in the past but has been dried out by groundwater extraction.
Montane Coniferous Forest
This community is limited to the northern study area, on watershed slopes bordering the San
Gorgonio River and tributaries near the San Bernardino County line.
In addition to natural plant communities, there are also lands in the planning area in urban and
rural development. Ornamental plants support a few native wildlife species that have adapted to
the presence of humans in urbanized areas. Further, a substantial portion of the planning area is
or has been previously used for agriculture. Abandoned farmland is now occupied by non-native
grassland that provides open space for a variety of common species, as well as foraging habitat
for birds of prey.
Sensitive Plant and Animal Species
The General Plan study area supports a number of sensitive species, which are listed by federal
and/or state governments as endangered, threatened, or species of concern. Sensitive and special
status wildlife that occurs or may occur in the planning area include the Mountain Yellow-legged
Frog, Stephen’s Kangaroo Rat, Los Angeles Pocket Mouse, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher,
and Burrowing Owl. Sensitive plants that occur or may occur in the planning area include the
Yucaipa Onion, Mojave Tarplant, and Parish’s Checkerbloom.
Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan
The City of Banning, along with other cities in Western Riverside County and east of the
Coachella Valley, is a participant in the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat
Conservation Plan (MSHCP). This MSHCP is a regional plan that provides for protection for
plant and animal species listed by the federal and state governments as threatened or endangered.
The City is subject to applicable features of the MSHCP, which are further discussed in Section
III-F of this document.
Potential impacts associated with biological resources are also discussed in greater detail in
Section III-F.
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I.
Cultural Resources
Cultural resources in the Banning area include Native American settlements that were
established before and after the arrival of European-Americans, as well as historical structures
and features that were built and used as early as the 1700’s by European settlers.
The Prehistoric Period
The “pre-historic” period refers to a time prior to the arrival of non-native peoples, when Native
American society, which was based on traditions resulting from thousands of years of cultural
development, was intact and viable. In the San Gorgonio Pass, the prehistoric period is generally
divided into the Late Prehistoric Period and the Archaic Period.
The Archaic Period is defined as occurring before AD 1000, prior to the introduction of pottery
to the region. Important cultural developments during the Archaic Period include the
introduction of the bow and arrow (about AD 500) and change from burial practices to
cremations. Around AD 1000, the San Gorgonio Pass region was introduced to pottery by the
Colorado River cultures, marking the transition between the Archaic and Late Prehistoric
Periods. Pottery was an innovation of peoples of the Colorado River, and its distribution across
the upper Colorado and Mojave Deserts indicates that there was contact and trade between local
tribes and those of the Colorado River.
The Late Prehistoric Period is defined as occurring after AD 1000 until around the late 1700s,
when foreign influences brought profound changes to Native American society and ushered in
the “historic period” in the San Gorgonio Pass. Archaeological evidence indicates that a large
number of settlements and rancherias were established in the San Gorgonio Pass region during
the prehistoric period. Such sites included villages, milling sites used on a seasonal basis to
process food materials, lithic workshops for making stone tools and weapons, and rock art sites
used for artistic and/or religious purposes.
Cahuilla Culture
The most recent identifiable native culture to evolve in the San Gorgonio Pass region is that of
the Pass Cahuilla Indians. The Cahuilla were a Takic-speaking people consisting of hunters and
gatherers. The Cahuilla population is estimated to have ranged between 3,600 and 10,000
persons prior to European contact. A large number of Indian villages, occupied by the Cahuilla,
were observed in the mid-19th century throughout the San Gorgonio Pass. The environment was
often harsh, with extreme variations in rainfall, wind and temperature, and occasional flash
flooding and faulting activity that altered available water resources. However, the mountains,
canyons and desert floor provided important sources of food and fiber, water and supplies.
During the early 1770s when Spaniards crossed through Cahuilla territory in search of new land
routes between Mexico it is believed that Europeans made the first contact with the Cahuilla, and
northern California. Relations between the Cahuilla and Europeans become strained over time
due to conflicts over land ownership and exploitation, as well as religious and cultural practices.
The Cahuilla had no immunity to smallpox, and in the early 1860s a smallpox epidemic
decimated the Cahuilla population, which reduced the population to about 2,500 individuals.
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Reservations were established beginning in the 1870s and allowed the Cahuilla to preserve their
cultural traditions in relative isolation from Anglo-Americans
The Historic Period
Historically significant sites are generally more than forty-five to fifty years of age, but range
from the period of the earliest European contact (around the late 1770s in the San Gorgonio Pass)
to about the end of World War II. Potentially significant historic sites range from permanent
trails and highways to living areas and small-scale remains of single activities.
By the late 18th century, Spanish explorers sought to colonize California before other European
nations and established religious missions and military strongholds along the California coast.
Spanish and Mexican explorers traveled through the San Gorgonio Pass in search of easily
passable supply routes from Mexico to colonies on the northern Monterey Peninsula of
California.
During the 1870s and 1880s non-Indian settlement in the San Gorgonio Pass expanded, with the
establishment of railroad stations along the Southern Pacific line and the implementation of the
Homestead Act and Desert Land Act, which opened public land for claims. With the completion
of the Southern Pacific Railway in 1877, the focal point of local growth shifted from the northern
foothills to the present-day downtown area. After the founding of Banning in 1884, the town
became the unmistakable center of population and community growth in the area. Banning
continued to benefit during the 20th century from its strategic location at the nexus of the various
transportation arteries, including the original Ocean-to-Ocean Highway (U.S. Route 60, 70, 99,
now Ramsey Street) and today’s Interstate 10, roughly halfway between the Riverside-San
Bernardino area and the growing desert resort communities in the Coachella Valley.
Additional information about the cultural resources of the Banning Area and the potential
impacts to those resources resulting from the implementation and adoption of the proposed
General Plan are further discussed in Section III-G, Cultural Resources, of this document.
J.
Visual Resources
The spectacular views of the deep San Gorgonio Pass, flanked by two steep mountain ranges, are
among the most valuable assets of the City of Banning. Bounded by the San Bernardino
Mountains to the north and the San Jacinto Mountains to the south, a large portion of the City of
Banning is located in this narrow, east-trending valley of the San Gorgonio Pass, which extends
west from the Coachella Valley and rises to its highest elevation at about 2,600 feet near
Beaumont to the west.
San Gorgonio Peak, just 12 miles north of City Hall, is the highest peak in the San Bernardino
Mountains, rising to an elevation of 11,499 feet. The sparsely populated central and northern
parts of the City extend into the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, with the
northernmost portion lying inside the San Bernardino National Forest.
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Along the southern margin of the City, the San Jacinto Mountains include the second highest
peak, San Jacinto Peak at an elevation of 10,804 feet. With approximately 10,000 ft. of elevation
gain from the valley floor, the San Jacinto Mountains form a precipitous and rugged backdrop to
the City from the south. The peaks of the two flanking mountains are occasionally blanketed
with snow during winter storms, providing an aesthetically attractive viewshed that gives the San
Gorgonio Pass valley its unique feature. Visual resources are further discussed in Section III-J of
this document.
K.
Air Quality
Air quality in the San Gorgonio Pass region and the City of Banning has exceeded state and
federal standards for some pollutants in the past. The region’s air quality is impacted by
continued regional urbanization, such as has occurred over the past few decades, which has
contributed to the degradation of the air quality due to population growth, increased traffic,
construction activities and various other site disturbances. Further, air quality in the region is
subject to transport of pollutants, particularly ozone and ozone pre-cursor emissions, from
coastal areas to the west easterly into inland valleys, including the Pass region.
The City of Banning and the San Gorgonio Pass are located in the South Coast Air Basin
(Basin). The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) is responsible for
establishing air quality management criteria and management policies for the Basin, as well as
for neighboring air basins. These include the Salton Sea Air Basin to the east, in which the
Coachella Valley is located. Pollution levels are monitored daily by SCAQMD. The City is
located in SCAQMD’s Source Receptor Area (SRA) 29, with a local air quality monitoring
station located at the Banning Municipal Airport.
Ozone and PM10 are the two pollutants of greatest concern in the Pass Region and the General
Plan study area. The South Coast Air Basin, which has historically exceeded state and federal
ozone standards, is currently designated as an “extreme” ozone non-attainment area under the
federal Clean Air Act. Based on this designation, the Basin must comply with federal ozone air
quality standards by November 15, 2010. Elevated PM10 emissions in the Pass region emissions
are the result of both human activities such as vehicle use and construction activity, as well as
natural occurrences, such as windstorms. The Basin is currently designated a non-attainment area
for PM10, under the Federal Clean Air Act. Although the Basin was to have complied with federal
PM10 air quality standards by December 31, 2001, SCAQMD has applied for a five-year
extension to demonstrate compliance by 2006. However, it is expected that compliance with
state standards would occur beyond 2010. To further reduce impacts, the City has established
nuisance abatement ordinances dealing with smoke and soot such as that which is generated by
internal combustion engines, residential fireplaces or stoves, or industrial smokestacks. The City
also relies on applicable state code and AQMD Rules, including Rule 403 (Fugitive Dust), for
authority to enforce fugitive dust compliance as needed, and refers complaints regarding fugitive
dust violations directly to SCAQMD for compliance enforcement.
In addition to criteria pollutants such as ozone and PM10, a variety of federal, state and local
programs regulate Toxic Air Contaminants (TACs) generation and emissions in the SCAQMD.
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TACs, which include substances such as asbestos, benzene, beryllium, inorganic arsenic,
mercury, and vinyl chloride, are generated by a variety of sources, such as electroplating and
anodizing operations, gasoline distribution facilities, petroleum refineries, and others. About 70
percent of the health risk from TACs has been attributed to diesel particulate emissions, and
approximately 20 percent to other toxics associated with mobile sources. The Pass region and the
General Plan study are subject to substantial exposure to mobile source emissions, including
diesel-fueled locomotives and motor vehicles.
Buildout of the General Plan study area associated with the implementation of the General Plan
update could potentially result in occasional and temporary exceedances in both state and federal
standards for various air pollutants. A full assessment of issues related to air quality is included
in Section III-I.
L.
Noise
In today’s environment noise is among the most pervasive pollutants. The general population has
been exposed to and affected by the substantial increase of noise levels in the environment over
the past several decades. The effects of intrusive noise levels can include temporary or
permanent physical damage, psychological distress, hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure,
sleep loss, anxiety, distraction, lost productivity. Intrusive noise levels can overall reduce the
quality of life.
Most common sounds occur in the range of 40 to 100 dB. Normal human conservation at three
feet is approximately 60 dBA, while the noise of a loud jet engine, which can create serious
discomfort equates to about 110 dBA. Community noise impacts are generally assessed using the
Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) noise index. The CNEL index converts the effect of
daily noise exposure into a single number and is weighted to account for the increased noise
sensitivity people experience during sensitive evening and nighttime hours.
The City of Banning generally enjoys a quiet noise environment. The primary source of noise is
motor vehicle traffic. Higher noise levels in the planning area are associated with motor vehicle
and rail traffic along the U.S. Interstate 10/Union Pacific Railroad corridor, which bisects the
planning area into distinct north and south communities. Noise levels from this transportation
corridor generally impact the central and southern portions of the planning area to the greatest
extent. The noise environment of the planning area is also affected by occasionally intrusive but
intermittent impacts associate with operation of the Banning Municipal Airport, which is located
in the southeastern portion of the City. The northern end of the General Plan study area
experiences a quieter noise environment than do the central and southern portions of the study
area, due to their more remote and rural settings further from major roadways, the I-10/UPRR
corridor, and the airport. Other sources of community noise include construction and mechanical
equipment serving commercial land uses and major institutions, as well as industrial operations.
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M.
Traffic/Circulation
The General Plan planning area, as well as the San Gorgonio Pass region, are situated along the
U.S. Interstate 10/Union Pacific Railroad corridor. This transportation corridor runs east to west
through the planning area and divides the City of Banning into two distinct north-south
communities. U.S. Interstate-10 is a critical part of the local road network that moves people and
goods into and through the Pass region. It connects the region with the Los Angeles, San
Bernardino, and Riverside metropolitan areas to the west and the Phoenix region to the east. The
planning area is linked by State Highway 243 to the Idyllwild area, which connects to local
roadways and ultimately to U.S. I-10 from the south. SR 243 is designated a scenic highway, the
Banning-Idyllwild Panoramic Highway, from the Banning City limits to State Route 74.
The designated State Highway begins on Eighth Street south of I-10 and runs south to Lincoln
Street, continuing east on Lincoln Street to San Gorgonio Avenue to the City limits, where it
becomes the Banning-Idyllwild Panoramic Highway. It is designated as a State Scenic Highway
from the Banning City limits to State Route 74, 28.2 miles south, near the community of
Idyllwild.
The City’s arterial roadway network, which runs parallel to U.S Interstate 10, is built along a
modified grid system with a primarily east-west orientation. Major east-west roadways in the
planning area include Ramsey Street, Wilson Street, and Lincoln Street. Major north-south
roadways include Highland Springs Avenue and Highland Home Road.
The current functionality of the City’s circulation system and projected future demands
associated with General Plan buildout are discussed in detail in Section III-C of this document.
N.
Public Services and Facilities
A wide range of public facilities and services are currently provided in the City of Banning.
Service providers are identified below, and the extent of their services is discussed further in
Section III-L.
Domestic Water
The City of Banning depends on the San Gorgonio Pass groundwater basin as its primary source
of water. The basin is recharged from runoffs and a series of retention basins. The hydrological
and geophysical characteristics of the basin are addressed in detail in the Water Resources
Element of the General Plan.
Domestic water services to the City are provided by the City Public Works and Utilities
Department. The Department also provides domestic water services to the unincorporated
Riverside County lands located southwest of the City corporate limits. The City owns and
operates wells, reservoirs, and a distribution line system to deliver domestic water within their
service area. The City Water Master Plan 1994 Map shows distribution lines ranging in size
from 2" to 30" in diameter. There are existing water maps showing eight, twelve and fourteeninch water mains located within the San Gorgonio Avenue right-of-way; eight and twelve-inch
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water mains within the 8th Street right-of-way, twelve, fourteen, and eighteen-inch water lines
within the Sunset right-of-way. Within Wilson right-of-way, there are water pipelines ranging
from four to eighteen inches within the Westward Avenue right-of-way. The Sun Lakes
community is served by eight, ten, twelve and sixteen-inch waterlines.
In addition to the City Public Works Department, there is a private water purveyor, the Banning
Heights Mutual Water, providing services to the northwestern half of the City. Water, diverted
from the San Gorgonio River, is delivered to this service area for primarily irrigational purpose.
Wastewater Treatment
Sanitary wastewater services are provided by the City of Banning Public Works-Wastewater
Division, located at 2242 East Charles Street. The City contracts with United Waters Services
for the operation and maintenance of the water reclamation plant. The plant receives an average
flow of a approximately 2.4 to 3.4 million gallons-per-day. Recent upgrade of the plant resulted
in an increase of secondary treatment capacity design to 3.6 million gallons-per-day, including
the addition of several plant parts, which could accommodate future capacity to approximately
5.8 million gallons-per-day.
Collected wastewater is transported by sewer main lines of 8,10, 15, and 18 inches in diameter,
which are connected to trunk lines. The trunk lines, ranging from 24 to 30 inches in diameter,
convey wastewater to the plant. Trunk lines are located within the City major public right-ofways.
Sewer services are provided not only to the entire City and also to the unincorporated Riverside
County lands surrounding the southeastern portion of the City of Banning. Planning areas
without sewer facilities are serviced by septic tanks.
Electric Service
The City of Banning Public Works - Electric Division provides electric services and facilities to
the City. The City purchases electricity from Southern California Edison (SCE). SCE relies
upon a broad mix of power sources, including wind, solar, co-generation, nuclear and natural
gas. The company also purchases power from hydroelectric and coal generators located outside
California. SCE delivers power via 115 KV transmission lines to a substation located on East
Ramsey Street from which power is transmitted by four 33 KV transmission lines, three of which
distribute power outside the Banning area. Issues concerning electrical services in the General
Plan study area are further discussed in Section III-L, Public Services and Facilities.
Educational Facilities and Services
The Banning Unified School District (BUSD) provides kindergarten through 12th grade public
education services to most of the City of Banning. In 2004, BUSD schools enrolled an average
of 4,700 students in eight schools and an independent study home schooling program. There are
four elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and one continuation high school
in the District. The District is averaging an approximately 5 percent annual growth rate in
enrollment, and has maintained a student-teacher ratio of 20-1 in Kindergarten through 3rd grade
levels. All of the District's schools are operating at or beyond capacity, and many use temporary,
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portable buildings for additional classroom space. Impacts to educational services resulting from
the adoption and implementation of the proposed General Plan are further discussed in Section
III-L, Public Services and Facilities.
Library
The main 9,573 esq. Banning Public Library, located at 21 W. Nicolet Street, and together with
its 1,300 sq.ft. Cabazon branch, own approximately 76,000 volumes of books. The library
participates in the Inland Library System, an-eighteen member cooperative of independent public
libraries in Riverside, San Bernardino and Inyo Counties. The library provides internet access,
ESL and adult literacy classes, and a range of children's services and materials. The main branch
has an extensive collection of historical documents and photographs.
Health Facilities
San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital, located at 600 North Highland Springs Avenue, provides
medical services to the City of Banning. The 85,000 sq.ft. hospital, which opened in 1951, is
licensed for 70 beds. The hospital started as a state district hospital, funded by a percentage of
property tax from local residents within the hospital district. It is one of the only four non-profit
hospitals in Riverside County. It provides general medical-surgical care, intensive care,
emergency care, obstetrics, in and outpatient surgery, and a range of ambulatory services
including physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation. Staffing includes the only round-the-clock
board certified emergency physicians in the Banning area. The single-story hospital acute care
facilities currently meet State-mandated hospital seismic safety requirements.
The hospital recently (2004) opened a 1,5000 sq.ft. State-of-the-art Women's Center that
provides birthing, diagnostic, surgical and preventative medicine services. The hospital has also
launched a $6 million capital campaign to fund expansion of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The
expanded ICU is expected to be operational within three years.
Fire Department
Fire protection services are provided to the City through a contractual agreement with the
Riverside County Fire Department, which in turn contracts with the California Department of
Forestry. The contract provides various fire related services, including emergency medical
services, fire prevention, disaster preparedness, fire safety inspections, hazardous materials
business plan programs and plan reviews.
Police Protection
Police protection services within City limits are provided by the Banning Police Department,
located adjacent to City Hall, at 125 East Ramsey Street. The City has historically maintained a
goal of 1.8 police officers per 1,000 residents. Currently, the City maintains a ration of 1.4
sworn officers fro every 1,000 residents. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department provides
police protection services to the City’s Sphere of Influence and Planning area.
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O.
Hazardous and Toxic Materials
A search of the US EPA Envirofacts Data Warehouse for the City of Banning identified two
facilities that produce and release air pollutants, two facilities that have reported toxic releases,
31 facilities that have reported hazardous waste activities, and one facility that is permitted to
discharge to waters of the United States.2
Hazardous Materials
The EPA database identifies three large industrial/commercial users of hazardous materials in the
City of Banning, which include electronic switchboard/connector manufacturing, metal plating,
and a gas station with a convenience store. Twenty-three small quantity hazardous/toxic material
generators are located in the City, and these are associated with commercial, and quasi-industrial
and medical operations, which have the potential to be associated with accidental spills,
purposeful illegal dumping, air emission, and other uncontrolled discharges into the
environment. In addition, two hazardous materials transporters are located in the City. Improper
use and management of these materials by service stations, petroleum product and equipment
suppliers, automotive dealers, medical practitioners, hospitals and clinics pose a potential threat
to the community and its environment. In addition, a wide variety of chemical and purified
chemical compounds, products, and elements that are considered hazardous or toxic are used in
households.
Underground storage tanks, such as those typically located at service stations and the City
Maintenance Yard, and at the airport, pose the most significant hazards due to potential leakage.
The U.S. EPA requires all service stations to retrofit or replace underground storage tanks with
double-walled construction. Several sites in the City have already complied with this rule.
Due to the concentration of various industrial activities in the southern portion of the City, this
area has an increased potential for the discharge of hazardous materials.
Natural Gas and Fuel Lines
The Gas Company provides natural gas services and facilities to the City of Banning. Natural gas
supply to the City originates from Texas, transported by two major east-west trending gas lines.
These high pressure gas lines, of varying sizes up to 36 inches in diameter, traverse through the
eastern desert areas to the western end of Riverside County. In addition to the two major eastwest trending high-pressure transmission gas lines, other natural gas high pressure lines are
located underground in Wilson and Lincoln Streets. A pipeline designed to carry liquid fuels
runs east-west through the City. Though not currently in use, this pipeline has been used to
transport crude oil, diesel fuel and gasoline.
The primary danger from these pipelines is fire resulting from accidental leaks or spillage. As
part of the right-of-way and maintenance easements for these lines, the appropriate identification
and setbacks should be maintained in order to insure the safety of adjacent development. Any
construction activities in proximity to these lines should be appropriately restricted.
2
“http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/toxic_releases.html” accessed May 17, 2005.
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Regulation Responsibility
California Government Code Section 65302(g) mandates that the General Plan of a community
address safety issues, including but not limited to hazardous materials. Responsibility for
regulating and monitoring the management, disposal, labeling, and use of toxic and hazardous
materials lies with a variety of federal, state, and local agencies, including the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the California Office of Health Planning and
Development, and the Riverside County Department of Health. AB 2948 (Chapter 1504, Statutes
of 1986), commonly known as the Tanner Bill, authorizes counties to prepare Hazardous Waste
Management Plans (HWMP) in response to the need for safe management of hazardous
materials and waste products. In addition, hazardous wastes must be managed in accordance with
the California Hazardous Waste Control Law (California Health and Safety Code, Division 20,
Chapter 6.5) and the Hazardous Waste Control Regulations (California Cod of Regulations, Title
22, Division 4.5).
The California Regional Water Quality Control Board (CRWQCB), as well as the City, Banning
Heights Mutual Water Company, and High Valley Water District maintain information
concerning contaminated water wells and groundwater. The state and federal environmental
protection agencies and the state Department of Health also provide information concerning
specific hazardous waste sites. Furthermore, the City requires Phase 1 Environmental Site
Assessments for projects on a case-by-case basis in order to identify potential impacts associated
with toxic and hazardous materials.
P.
Socio-Economic Resources
According to the U.S. Census, the population of the City of Banning has increased from 14,020
in 1980, to 20,572 in 1990, to 23,562 in 2000. The U.S. Census indicates that the City’s median
age increased from 32.8 years in 1980, to 36.8 years in 1990, to 39.9 years in 2000. According to
the U.S. Census, in 1980 the City had a total of 6,190 housing units, in 1990 the City had a total
of 8,194 units, and in 2000 the City had a total of 9,724 housing units. The average persons per
household went from 2.6 in 1980, to 2.7 in 1990, and to 2.4 in 2000.
The 1990 Census identified the City’s median household income as $28,467. Based on U.S.
Census 2000, the City’s median household income was $32,076, which represents a 13%
increase over the City’s 1990 median household income. The 2000 Census also indicates that the
per capita income for the City of Banning was $16,231.
According to the Inland Empire Quarterly Economic Report, the median home price in the City
in the second quarter of 2003 was $145,000 for existing homes and $201,500 for new homes.
This compares with $232,727 and $285,000 for existing and new homes in Riverside County for
the same period. Socio-economic impacts associated with the implementation of the proposed
General Plan are further analyzed in Section III-L, Socio-Economic Resources.
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